Obama on VP debate: ‘Joe just needs to be Joe’

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama has offered his take on the debate between Vice President Joe Biden and Congressman Paul Ryan, saying "Joe just needs to be Joe."

Obama offered his remark in an interview with ABC News on the eve of Thursday night's vice presidential debate.

Biden has been a controversial figure, occasionally prone to making rhetorical gaffes. Obama himself came under withering criticism for his lackluster performance in last week's debate against Republican challenger Mitt Romney.